Shock
by solarbreeze
Summary: After the death of Dumbledore, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a very different place. People change as times change, and sometimes these changes are hard to accept. DHr
1. Chapter 1

Her heart lodged in her throat. She unconsciously stood up, as Headmistress McGonagall called her name, signifying to the Hogwarts students, that she was their new Head Girl. However, she could not tear her eyes from the Head Boy. Harry and Ron beside her had stood up as well, looking as if all they wanted was to run up to him and start a fight. Her breath caught in her throat as she heard the next words of Pro..Headmistress McGonagall, this is the appointment that Professor Dumbledore had wanted before he died. As the students filed out of the Great Hall, most did not understand the shocked looks on the faces of a few select Seventh Year students. Hermione quickly tore her eyes away from the new Head Boy, and ran. Her burgundy and gold ascot tie was whipping across her neck, as her long untamed curls blew behind her. Her Oxford shoes pounded the stone of the corridors, as she ran to the one refuge where she knew no one could find her. The doors to the library were locked when she reached, but with a mighty heave, she managed to open them. She slipped past countless bookshelves, as tears began to fall from her eyes. The last table in a dusty corner was always hers. It was blocked by large bookshelves filled with ancient tomes that no one besides her had any interest for. This corner was always secluded, had always been her refuge. However, as she emerged in front of her table, she saw that someone was already standing by it. Tumultuous gray eyes peered out at her from behind a curtain of blond hair. The boy standing in front of her was easily a head taller than her, towering over her petite frame. However, her sheer anger seemed to make up for it. Without a thought, her wand was raised, aimed at his heart.

"What are you doing here." Her tone left it clear that this was a statement, not a question. He shrugged.

"It's a library for all students. I am allowed." She lowered her wand.

Without a word, he picked up his bag and left, leaving her alone in front of what used to be her secret table. She sat down slowly, fingering her wand. This boy had grown up quite a bit. He was at least a head taller than her, but he also seemed to have matured since the previous year. She was disgusted with herself, but she found that she was rather in awe of him. His horrific actions last year left her with different thoughts about him than she had previously entertained. When she had first learned from Harry about the nature of Malfoy's involvement in the death of Professor Dumbledore, she was shocked, but she was also in awe of him. He had discovered the hidden vanishing cabinet, fixed it, and used it to bring in Death Eaters without anyone in the school suspecting a thing. He had managed to keep the trust of most of the individuals at school, including herself, throughout most of the year. She knew that he was second to her in class rank, but had never thought much of it. She figured that Snape's preference of him, and his father's influence was enough to bring him that rank. Now, she realized that he was intelligent, and cunning. However, he had faltered when he had to kill Dumbledore. Everything else that he had planned he had done without remorse, but he couldn't kill his headmaster. And Moaning Myrtle had complained that he had been in the girls' bathroom crying, stressed, and wanting to quit. Maybe he had a soul, maybe he wasn't exactly his father's son. Maybe that was why Dumbledore had wanted him to be Head Boy. She still couldn't believe that she had to work with the same boy who had worked to kill her beloved headmaster for the rest of the year. She looked around her, the library would be closing soon, and she was exhausted. She picked up her bag, and settled it over her shoulder. She straightened her gray pleated skirt, brushed the remains of her tears from her eyes, and made her way out of the library.

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	2. Chapter 2

The Head Common Room was beautiful, to say the least. The bleak stone walls of the castle had been covered in enormous tapestries depicting various scenes in Hogwarts' history. Hermione dropped her bag near the desk with Head Girl engraved upon it, as she circled the room, her eyes trained on the walls. Across from the door was a large window, with a magnificent view of Hogwarts' Lake. A small balcony lay just outside, beckoning her to enjoy the view. Instead, she looked around at the walls. Wherever the tapestries were absent, large bookcases rose up to the ceiling, holding all of the textbooks used in all of the classes offered at the prestigious school. Plaques holding swords with names engraved upon them adorned tiny spaces of stone that peeked out from between the tapestries and bookshelves. As Hermione turned around, admiring the large ornate staircases that led to the Head Boy and Girl dorms, she suddenly bumped into something behind her; or rather, someone. Startled, she whipped around, coming face to face with Draco Malfoy. Her annoying counterpart had been watching her since she came in. She had completely missed him standing by one of the bookshelves, and he decided to watch her as she turned around and around admiring the Common Room.

"Like what you see?" He queried, his face carefully devoid of emotion. An affirmation was on the tip of her tongue, before she realized the double meaning behind his question. Scowling, she ignored him, and asked instead, "Why do you insist on popping up randomly everywhere. It is highly annoying!"

"Well, seeing as how both times, I have been there first, I hardly think you can complain."

He had a point, but she refused to acknowledge it. She finally took a good look at him. His robes were off, and his green and silver tie was rather loose. His hair was hanging around his face again, and he looked rather tired.

"You look rather tired, planning another murder?" She asked lightly, finally breaching the topic that had angered her so much.

"Well, if I was, I wouldn't tell you. And if I was, I wouldn't be here."

"Voldemort doesn't tell his followers much about his past, does he?" She questioned cockily, trailing her hand along the bookcase in front of her. Harry had explained all of Voldemort's history to her and Ron last year, and she was interested to see just how much Malfoy himself knew. If he was as intelligent as she thought he was…

Before she knew it, his wand was at her neck, he was standing behind her, and the side of her face was being crushed into a particularly large and nasty smelling tome. She looked up and saw his face clouded with anger, and his gray eyes shooting daggers at her.

Never one to back down, she bit out, "Can you blame me for asking?" He wrenched his wand away from her face, but didn't back away.

"I didn't kill Dumbledore, why would I change my ways for you?"

He had a point, but she was still angry. She whipped around, poking her finger in his chest. She was near tears again, and she couldn't understand why.

"You are the reason why this school is in shambles. You are the reason why Dumbledore is dead. You are the reason why Bill Weasley is a half-werewolf. If Voldemort reigns, you will be responsible. If you have a soul, you would feel guilty. But, unfortunately, you're a Death Eater." She paused, a sardonic smile on her face. "You wouldn't have a soul." With a savage push against his chest, she broke free, and ran up to her new room. It had been a trying day, and her stupid tongue had just doled her a more serious enemy.

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	3. Chapter 3

Draco Malfoy quietly sat down in the Common Room. The fire was burning brightly in the fireplace as he stared at it savagely. He was tired. His childhood had been spent idolizing his father and Voldemort. His sixth year was spent trying to kill Dumbledore and prove himself worthy to Voldemort…and his father. He could still imagine that day if he closed his eyes. His hand had nearly been shaking as he aimed his wand at Dumbledore. As he saw his Headmaster's feeble body, he couldn't think of a single reason why he should kill him. This man had provided him with a safe haven each year, so that he wouldn't have to face Voldemort. Of course, Draco doubted that the wizard even knew of how much he had helped him. All of Voldemort's words of…well, not quite encouragement, but words against Dumbledore flew away from his mind as he stared at the man who had provided him a home for so long. When Snape killed Dumbledore, he had felt a mix of sadness, anger, guilt, and shame. He realized that Dumbledore would never be back, he was angry that Snape had done the job for him, he was feeling guilty about trying to kill his professor, and he was ashamed at the fact that he couldn't. From that moment on, both Snape and him had lost the trust of Voldemort. That only meant pain and hiding. Snape had been far more fatherly towards him than Lucius ever had. Lucius had actually refused to acknowledge his son and wife after that night. Bellatrix Lestrange, his aunt, had slipped a notch in Voldemort's eyes, but was not completely outcast the way Draco was. Snape was trying to work his way back in the eyes of the Dark Lord, but Draco didn't care. At this point, he was within Hogwarts, and away from it all. After graduation, he would worry about what to do with the rest of his life. He was only glad that he wouldn't have to stay in the Slytherin Common Room. Last year, he ruled the Slytherin House. He was on a special mission for the Dark Lord, and most of the students knew of it through their parents. Each parent wished that he were their son. Now, as most of the house knew of how he had almost botched up the entire cause, he had lost their favor. He had very few allies left. He also was lacking the added protection of Professor Snape. Slughorn wasn't quite as…influential.

Running a hand through his artfully messy blond hair, Draco leaned back onto the couch. He didn't know what to do about the Head Girl situation. She was picking every opportunity possible to start a fight. He was itching to hex her, but without a single teacher left in his favor, he knew it was stupid. He was a bit surprised that she had such a tongue on her. The past years, only Potter and Weasley picked fights, she tried to stop them. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who had changed over the years. He couldn't help but notice that she hadn't grown that much over the summer. She was still petite, and slim. However, her bushy hair finally fit her. It was slightly longer, and now hung in large curls, rather than large heaps. He could almost call her pretty, except that she was increasingly rude. He hoped that they didn't have many classes together. However, one of his cousins who had been Head Boy in his year had already informed him that the Head Students tended to have an unnecessarily large number of classes together. He couldn't wait.

Stretching, he loosened his tie a bit more, and undid the top button of his collared shirt as he slowly made his way to his dormitory. He knew that he wouldn't be able to control his temper much more if the Head Girl decided to start another fight. He had learned some control over the years, but she really had a way of pushing his buttons. Yawning he closed his door and started to get ready for bed.

In the next room, Hermione was lying on her bed, trying to fight off her tears. Dumbledore was dead; she had to work all year with the boy who had nearly pulled off his murder. She felt incredibly stupid about starting those fights and acting childish when he wasn't. But most of all, she respected him for not finding it in him to kill Dumbledore, and not stooping to her level and starting arguments with her. He had finally matured, and here she was acting like a child. Hoping that the next day would prove calmer, she turned off the light, and tried to fall asleep.


End file.
